Magnetic separator



P 1964 c. w. R055 3,149,066

MAGNETIC SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 21, 1961 2's INVENTOR.

CHARLES W. ROSS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,149,066 MAGNETIC SEPARATQR Charles W. Ross, 1831 14th St., Moline, Ill. Filed Feb. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 90,779 7 Claims. (Cl. 209-223) This invention relates to a magnetic separator for use in a stream of material and which operates to remove magnetically attractable materials from the stream. More particularly this invention relates to'a magnetic separator having features which make it easily removable and also to features which make the separator more eflicient in its separating operation.

It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a magnetic separator which will fit into a hopper having inclined sides. The main support for the separator will be a rigid member having outer inclined surfaces conforming to the shape of a section of the hopper so that the entire separator may be laid in the hopper and will retain its position therein due to the wedging action of the inclined surfaces.

It is also -a purpose of the invention to provide a pole plate structure of a new and novel design which features a main portion with a leading edge in opposed relation to the stream of material and also a pair of diverging portions inclined to the main portion and downstream thereof. By diverging the downstream portions or ends of the pole plate structure, the air gap between adjacent plate structures will be narrowed to intensify the field between adjacent plate structures.

It is further proposed to provide a pocket between the diverging portions and on the downstream side of the portions whereby magnetically attracted material may slide or be driven around the edges of the diverging portions and into the pocket. In this manncr'the particles will no longer be affected by the material moving between the pole plate structures.

It is also a further object of the invention to provide a novel manner of mounting the pole plate structures in an annular cone-shaped member or support.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following description and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a hopper to show the location of a magnetic separator.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the magnetic separator.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the magnetic separator or device, in its preferred embodiment will sit in a cone-shaped hopper, here indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10, which is typical of a material conduit having opposed inclined sides. Small lugs, such as at 11, may be placed on the interior surface of the hopper to limit downward movement of the magnetic separator.

The magnetic separator is composed of a cone-shaped ring or annular member 12 which serves as the main frame for the separator. It has an outer cone-shaped surface 13 which conforms to the size and shape of the internal surface of the hopper 11) directly above the lugs 11 as well as an inner cone-shaped surface 14. As may be seen in FIGURE 1, the ring 12 will normally wedge against the hopper surface and due to the inclined surfaces of the hopper and ring will not otherwise need to be attached to the hopper. The lugs merely operate as stops preventing too tight a wedging action.

Extending inwardly from the surface 14 is a pair of diametrically opposite bosses 15, 16 which have alined 3,149,665 Patented Sept. 15, 1964 bores 17, 18 therein. The entire support or ring 12 is composed of a non-magnetic material such as aluminum or a non-magnetic stainless steel.

A supporting rod 20, tapped at opposite ends 21, 22, extends diametrically across the cone ring 12 and has the ends 21, 22 normally inserted in the bores 17, 18 respectively. Carried on the rod 20 are four parallel pole-plate structures 23, 24, 25, 26 separated by permanent magnets 27, 28, and 29. The permanent magnets 27, 28, 29 have central bores 30, 31, and 32 respectively therein which are in registry with openings 33, 34, 35, and 36 in respective pole-plate structures 23, 24, 25, and 26. The rod 20 extends through the bores and openings. Suitable nuts 40, 41 and 42, 43 are provided on the threaded ends 21, 22 of the rod 20. As may be seen from viewing FIGURES 2 and 3, the nuts 41, 42 may be tightened against the respective pole plate structures 23, 26 to provide a relatively rigid grillwork for the separator. The nuts 40, 43 may be tightened against the bosses 15, 16 to generally rigidify the grillwork in the ring 12. Also, by proper threading of the nuts 40-43 along the threaded ends 21, 22 so as to remove the nuts, the entire rod 20 may be withdrawn from the bores 17, 18 and the entire separator grillwork may be dismantled.

Referring now to the specific pole plates 23, 24, 25, 26 they are composed of vertically disposed plates of magnetic material 50, 51; 52, 53; 54, 55; and 56, 57 respectively which are placed back-to-back and are spot welded, as indicated at 58 in FIGURE 4, to one another. The plate structures 23-26 therefore provide leading or top edges in opposed relation to the normal flow of the stream of materials.

The plate structures 23-26 are parallel to one another and extend across the annular cone ring 12. The individual plates -57 generally have their main portions vertically disposed and have lower inclined portions 50a, 51a, 52a, 53a, 54a, 55a, 56a, and 57a. Since the material is expected to flow from the top to the bottom of the hopper 10, the main portions of plates 50-57 are therefore substantially parallel to the stream of material and the lower portions are inclined to the stream. Each pole plate structure therefore has a pair of lower portions which diverge from one another and away from the main vertical plane of the pole structure. Consequently, the air gaps between the lower edges of adjacent plate structures 23-26 are considerably narrower than the gap between the upper portions of the plate structures 23-26.

The end edges of each of the pole plates 5li-57 are inclined downwardly and inwardly and generally at the same angle to the vertical as the adjacent portion of the internal surface 14 of the cone ring 12. Also, in some instances it will be desirable to have the outer edge conform arcuately with the adjacent surface 14 of the cone 12. Such is clearly evident in FIGURES 2 and 4 of the drawings. In any case it is desirable to have the outer edges abut the surface of the cone ring or support 12. By having the edges in contact with the cone ring 12, the single rod 20 may be used to mount the entire grillwork rigid with the ring as well as mount the parts of grillwork rigidly with one another.

The permanent magnets 27, 28, 29 may be composed of any material, such as a high quality Alnico alloy. The magnets are so placed that similar poles are placed on opposite sides of the pole plates 23-26, such being indicated by the conventional NS and Ss on the drawings.

The magnetic separator operates in the following manner. Material, such as grain, food, or others, will pass downwardly in a stream between the pole plate structures 23-26. Should a small piece of iron pass between the plate structures, the magnetic force of the plate structures will cause it to impinge against the face of one of the plate structures. Should a large iron particle pass bem tween the plate structures, the magnetic field created by the upper vertical portions of the pole plates 56-57 may not be strong enough to attract it to one of the plate structures. However, at the lower end portions Stla57a, the magnetic force will be considerably larger, due to the decreased gap between the lower ends of the respective plates, and the larger iron particles will be attracted at the lower ends. Consequently, the same size permanent magnets 27, 28, 29 will, in etlect, create a stronger magnetic field than heretofore thought possible if used in conjunction with the type of pole-plate structure heroin disclosed.

In normal operation of passing material between the pole-plate structures, the material itself will often operate to sweep the iron particles impinged against the plate structures downwardly until the particles reach the lower edges of the portions 59a57a. By providing the lower portions tla57a to be inclined and diverging relative to adjacent portions, there are provided spaces or pockets beneath and between the adjacent diverging portions. The iron particles will normally be passed to the lower edges of the portions 5tla-57a and will then pass around the respective edges and come to rest under and between adjacent diverging portions. Consequently, the iron parcles will be more or less stored away from and outside of the flowing material so that they will not he accidentally driven off the surface of the plate structures to again move with the material.

While only one form of the invention has been shown, it should be recognized that other forms and variations will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that while the present structure was shown and described in detail for purposes of clearly and concisely illustrating the principles of the invention, it was not the intention to limit or narrow the invention beyond the broad manner set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic separator for a cone-shaped hopper comprising: a cone-shaped annular support having an outer cone surface conforming to the shape of the inner surface of the hopper and an inner cone surface; a series of parallel spaced apart plate structures extending across the annular support with opposite end edges inclined to substantially conform to an adjacent portion of the supports inner cone surface, each of the plate structures being composed of a pair of plates having vertically disposed baclt-to-back upper portions and lower portions flaring outwardly and in diverging relation to one another and defining a pocket under and between the lower flared portions in which magnetically attracted particles may gather; a series of alined permanent magnets between the plate structures for inducing a magnetic field between adjacent plate structures; and at least one rod extending 2. A magnetic separator for use in a material-transferring structure including a housing in which the walls converge from a large upstream end to a relatively small downstream end, said separator comprising: a support having an outer surface conforming to the shape of the inner surface of the housing and to the angle of convergence of the walls; a series of parallel spaced apart plate structures extending across the support, each of the plate structures being composed of a pair of plates having vertically disposed back-to-back upper portions and portions flaring outwardly and in diverging relation to one another and defining a pocket between the lower flared portions in which magnetically attracted particles may gather; a series of alined permanent magnets between the plate structures for inducinga magnetic field between adjacent plate structures; and means rigidly connecting the plate structures, permanent magnets, and the support.

3. Pole plate structures for use in a magnetic separalg tor adapted for disposition in a stream of material and including a support for carrying at least a pair of plate structures in substantial parallel relation and a perma-- nent magnet extending between the structures for inducing a magnetic field therebetween, each of said pole plate structures comprising: plate means having its major portion rectangular in shape with an upper edge in opposed relation to the stream of material and transverse to the direction of the movement of the stream, and a pair of diverging portions rigid with and continuing downstream from and on opposite sides of the aforesaid major portion, said diverging portions defining a pocket therebetween for receiving magnetically attracted particles moving adjacent the edges of the diverging portions, and means on the major portions for connecting the permanent magnet thereto.

4. A magnetic separator in a material conduit comprising: a separator support carried in the conduit; a series of parallel spaced apart pole plate structures mounted on the support means, each of the plate structures being disposed to lie in a stream of material flowing in the conduit, each structure being composed of a pair of plates having main portions thereof in back-to-back relation and extending from an upstream edge to downstream flanged edge portions flaring outwardl in diver in rela- 5. A magnetic separator for use in a material transferring structure including a housing extending from an upstream end to a downstream end, comprising a separator support adapted for mounting in the housing; a series of parallel spaced apart pole plate structures carried on the support, each of the plate structures being composed of a pair of plates having main portions thereof disposed in back-to-back relation and extending from an upstream edge in opposed relation to the normal flow of material to downstream flanged edge portions with each of the latter portions extending outwardly from its respective main portion in diverging relation to the'other flange portion to define a pocket therebetween in which magnetically attracted particles may gather; and permanent magnet means extending between the main portions of adjacent plate structures inducing a magnetic field therebetween.

6. A magnetic separator in a material conduit comprising: a separator support means carried in said conduit; a series of parallel spaced apart pole plate structures mounted on the support means, each of the plate.

structures being disposed to lie in a stream of material flowing in the conduit, each structure having an upstream portion rectangular in shape with an upstream edge in opposed relation to the material, and a pair of downstream portions thereof flaring outwardly in diverging relation to opposite sides ofthe upstream portion and defining a pocket between the downstream portions and on the downstream side thereof where magnetically attracted particles may gather and be shielded from the material flowing through the conduit; permanent magnet means extending between adjacent upstream portions for inducing a magnetic field between adjacent plate structures; and means interconnecting the plate structures, permanent magnet means, and the support means.

7. Pole plate structures for use in a magnetic separator adapted for disposition in a stream of material and including a support for carrying at least a pair of plate structures in substantial parallel relation and a permanent magnet extending between the structures for in ducing a magnetic field therebetween, each of said pole plate structures comprising: a pair of substantially iden-' tical plates having major rectangular shaped portions rigidly joined together in back-to-back contacting relation and disposed in said stream and having upstream edges in opposed relation to the stream of material, and a pair of downstream diverging portions continuing from and extending from the respective major portions to define a pocket between the diverging portions for receiving magnetically attracted particles moving along the surfaces of the plates and around the edges of the diverging portions, and means on the major portions for connecting the permanent magnet thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent 10 American Miller and Processor, October 1949, pages Y 68 and 83.

UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES 

5. A MAGNETIC SEPARATOR FOR USE IN A MATERIAL TRANSFERRING STRUCTURE INCLUDING A HOUSING EXTENDING FROM AN UPSTREAM END TO A DOWNSTREAM END, COMPRISING A SEPARATOR SUPPORT ADOPTED FOR MOUNTING IN THE HOUSING; A SERIES OF PARALLEL SPACED APART POLE PLATE STRUCTURES CARRIED ON THE SUPPORT, EACH OF THE PLATE STRUCTURES BEING COMPOSED OF A PAIR OF PLATES HAVING MAIN PORTIONS THEREOF DISPOSED IN BACK-TO-BACK RELATION AND EXTENDING FROM AN UPSTREAM EDGE IN OPPOSED RELATION TO THE NORMAL FLOW OF MATERIAL TO DOWNSTREAM FLANGED EDGE PORTIONS WITH EACH OF THE LATER PORTIONS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM ITS RESPECTIVE MAIN PORTION IN DIVERGING RELATION TO THE OTHER FLANGE PORTION TO DEFINE A POCKET THEREBETWEEN IN WHICH MAGNETICALLY ATTACHED PARTICLES MAY GATHER; AND PERMANENT MAGNET MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE MAIN PORTIONS OF ADJACENT PLATE STRUCTURES INDUCING A MAGNETIC FIELD THEREBETWEEN. 